1955 Ford Crown Victoria - Royal Sandwich

The summer of 1957 had to be a memorable one for Bill Barnett. A hot day inspired him to lose his shirt—but not the sparkling white peggers and classy wingtips. As if Bill’s bitchin’ custom 1955 Ford Crown Victoria isn’t plenty enough reason to smile, our photographer sandwiched him between two lovelies representing his Renegades Car Club. On his right in a white, one-piece bathing suit with enough material to make dozens of today’s bikinis is the newly crowned Renegades Car Show queen, 18-year-old Connie Herbst. On his left is Renegades princess Marna Redmayne (who would again team up with this car and owner to announce coming attractions on the inside back cover of the Nov. 1957 Car Craft). The Renegades of Long Beach, California, boasted some of the most outstanding customs and rods of all time, earning national recognition both as Car Club of the Year for 1958 and in a multipage feature in the Feb. 1959 Car Craft. The Ford was painted Titian Red, offset with gold scallops and striping by Dean Jeffries. A ’54 Chevy grille with extra teeth was housed in a molded shell above the molded splash pan and below the nosed hood and frenched headlights. The door handles and emblems were smoothed off, leaving only the distinctive checkmark side trim and Crown Vic molding that spanned the entire roof. Around back were frenched ’56 Packard taillights. An unusual hubcap pairing put Ford accessory-wire types up front, with chrome center bullets, while the rear Olds Fiestas provided clearance for the skirts Bill usually ran.